Hathor was worshipped as various cow goddesses in different parts
of Egypt, but was early identified as Hathor of Denderah. She was represented
as either a cow with a solar disc or a woman with cow horns between which
was a solar disc. Sometimes she even appeared as a hippopotamus, although
her epithet was always "the golden." As a goddess of fertility,
Hathor was at childbirths, and regarded as the tutelary deity of beauty,
love, and marriage. Occasionally she was identified with Isis,
the wife of Osiris.

According to one legend Re used Hathor to destroy
mankind. When old and uncertain of his powers, Re thought men were plotting
against him, so he dispatched the Eye of Re, in the form of Hathor, to eliminate
the impious. But, unable to witness the total massacre of humankind, or
changing his mind, Re flooded the earth with beer containing a coloring
of red ochre to resemble blood. Entranced by the sight as well as her own
reflection, Hathor forgot her awful task and became intoxicated. So humanity
was speared.

By tradition Egyptian deities could assume seven to nine forms; Hathor
adopted seven. In her aspect of mother goddess, she lived in the Tree of
Heaven and nourished the souls of men. The Seven Hathors performed this
office for the deceased and for the newborn. At the birth of every child
the Hathors announced its fate, generally calling this Shai, but
identifying it with Renenet when particularly favorable.

The Hathors were usually represented as a group of young women playing
upon tambourines wearing the disc and horns of Hathor. In Ptolemaic times
they were identified with the Pleiades. A.G.H.